Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms 3)

She tried to grasp hold of the voice and use it to pull herself back to the real world. She held on tight, until finally she realized she was actually clutching the soft material of a shirt.

“I’m here. I won’t leave you, I promise,” the voice said.

Magnus? Magnus had always been there to protect her, had always cheered her when she felt at her lowest, just as she’d always tried to do for him in return.

She forced her eyes open to see it wasn’t Magnus who held her. Instead she saw eyes the color of dark silver regarding her with worry.

“Alexius,” she managed.

She was still on the floor, the group of candles before her. Alexius held her against him, stroking her hair away from her face.

“You were asleep. Having a nightmare, by the sound of it.”

The dream had already begun to recede in her memory, but the realization of what she’d witnessed remained.

“I dreamt of Melenia,” she said. “And Eva. And the goddesses.”

He furrowed his brow. “All of them? That’s quite a dream.”

“Melenia was . . .” But the words died on her lips. Melenia was evil, horrible, manipulative. A murderer.

But she was also Alexius’s trusted leader, the reason he was here. She wanted to return the Kindred to the Sanctuary for the greater good of the world.

Lucia wasn’t ready to admit to Alexius what she’d done. Despite being certain that she’d successfully awakened the water crystal, something bad had happened. She knew how close she’d come to being harmed.

Alexius would be furious to learn that she’d attempt the spell without him.

She would tell him soon, but not today. Today it would be her secret.

“I was worried about you for a moment there,” Alexius said after she didn’t continue speaking.

The gravity in his voice coaxed a small smile to her lips. “You were worried?”

“Incredibly. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You’re far too important to me, princess.” He leaned in to her and brushed his lips against hers.

Her heart swelled and the darkness that had risen within her, all the fear and despair she’d felt, was washed away in the moment of tenderness.

“I love you,” he whispered. “No matter what happens, please don’t ever doubt that.”

When he kissed her again, the horrible memories of the spell and the nightmare swirled away and vanished into smoke.

• • •

Two days passed without incident. Lucia kept the secret of her clandestine awakening spell to herself, but she decided she would soon be ready to swallow her pride and share it. She would accept Alexius’s anger at her foolhardy decision to forge ahead without his guidance and protection.

Today’s lessons included more magic stealing. Alexius had insisted on it, despite her protests.

“We’re wasting time,” she said. “We need to find an excuse to leave the palace and claim the other crystals. We can’t wait any longer. Why don’t you seem more concerned? Someone might steal them as well!”

He regarded her with patience. “I was concerned, princess. But then, last night, Melenia visited my dreams. I told her of our progress, about what happened at the temple. I suggested that she send hawk scouts to watch over the other locations.”

“And what did she say?”

“She said that she already had.” At Lucia’s gasp, he smiled.

“So hawks have been watching them.”

“It’s what we Watchers do.”